Z.ENKHBOLD RECEIVES TURKISH PRIME MINISTER

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ The Speaker of Mongolian parliament Z.Enkhbold received Mr Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Prime Minister of Turkey on April 11. Mr Enkhbold said this official visit of the Turkish PM will give impetus to the development of the ties between the two countries, especially to the economic, trade and investment cooperation. He also said Mongolia is willing to enhance the ties with Turkey, its Third neighbour, in all spheres. In response, Mr Erdogan noted that Ulaanbaatar changed a lot since his visit in 2005, and said that in frames of the current visit many important agreements have been made. A cooperation of the two countries has been continuing in all fields, the Turkish investments in Mongoia in economic and trade lines reached USD 36 million but it is not a big amount, "so we must cooperate more widely, for example in the energy and infrastructure." The Speaker said the Turkish International Cooperation and Development Agency (TIKA) has run a 46 km road from the Mongolian ancient capital city of Kharkhorin to Khushuu Tsaidam where the Turkic Bilge Khan Monument Complex is located, "and this has become a nice opportunity to increase tourists flow." He is also glad that a matter on building an international airport in Kharkhorin was discussed at the Mongolia-Turkey intergovernmental committee meeting. Mr Erdogan said Turkey will cooperate in building the airport, adding that the Turkish Airlines plan on arranging flights to Mongolia every day. MP and head of Mongolia-Turkey parliamentary group A.Bakei thanked the Turkish side for its decision to establish a health diagnostic center in Bayan-Olgii aimag. Mr Enkhbold extended a greeting to the Chairman of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Cemil Cicek and invited him to Mongolia with a visit. Ch.Enkhtuya